The Mercs
by DHockaday
Summary: Basically a one shot featuring some odd Mercs who don't like being used as a meat shield...and well things get a bit extreme in their revenge. Also..this was supposed to be the beginning of a series but major writers block so it was a no go.


The bright and cheery field that was home to many a cute and cuddly creature was now bathed in a sea of crimson and dead, rotting flesh as the bodies of thousands covered its expanse. The only creatures insane enough to even think of crossing this field of death and destruction were the crows and those who were dumb enough to try and risk attacking the series of trenches that overlooked this bloody field of corpses. With the exception of the crows anything that moved amongst the bodies was taken as fair game and wouldn't usually get very far until a round from a bolter hit them, thus ending their little jaunt into the valley of death.

The men who were dealing out so much of this death and destruction lost not a wink of sleep over their actions as they slaughtered their foes. They knew they had to hold the trench or they would be overrun and more than likely killed. They knew the risks of being a mercenary and while they knew not many cared for their survival, they would prove that there was a reason why their bunch of so called scum and what not was considered the most professional and elite bunch of mercenaries' money could buy. And no they were not cheap. Being the best meant you could have the customer pay exorbitant fees, however such was the price of hiring the best.

The men and women of the Shinsengumi Mercenary Corp knew that they had been betrayed by yet another employer. Only an idiot would think that they hadn't been seeing as how the last supply shuttle had been about seven months ago now. Thankfully they had plenty of ammo thanks to the courteous dead in the field before them. It's not like the dead would be using the ammo. So far their losses had been miniscule compared to those of the attacking forces but they knew that their own luck was going to eventually run out and when it did they knew wouldn't last long.

*

The Captain walked along the trenches looking over his troops. The shoulder of his jet black power armor emblazoned with both the crimson insignia of the Corp and below it the two crossed swords over a pair of vertical stripes showing his rank in white. However, if you weren't a part of the Corp then you wouldn't have guessed that he was the leader of these soldiers for hire. His armor was covered in so much mud and grime that he looked just like all the others. But his soldiers could tell it was him just from the way he held himself when he walked, or the way he would look over the field with a contemplative look rather than one of alertness. And it was with that same look on his face that he would grab a bolter and mow down the enemy charge alongside his comrades at arms. He knew his people had bets running on certain things about his past and let them have their fun guessing. He didn't mind it in the least bit. Especially now with the odds stacked against them.

He walked back to his command bunker and took a look at the radio to see if it was working again. He knew it was in vain. It had broken down almost as soon as they had gotten to this stretch of fields. As he sat there looking at the broken radio he decided to do something not many of his predecessors had done before him. He walked out and told his troops to get ready to retreat.

The mercenaries got ready for the retreat from this hell hole they were in and everything was finalized about an hour after the Captain gave the order. As he looked among the hustle and bustle of the troops, he came to a decision of his own that would have to wait until the retreat was under way. He motioned for the sergeant to come over and gave him a few quick instructions and sent the man on his way. The Captain went back to his bunker to make his own preparations for what was to come.

*

As the time of the retreat drew near, the members of the Shinsengumi noticed that their attackers were not yet done attacking them and sent what looked like every single soldier they had from quite possibly a hundred miles around. They shook the ground as they marched as if they were an earthquake unto them selves. Their battle cries could be heard even over the roar their marching made. Of course, to this day no member of the Shinsengumi will admit to shitting themselves when they saw this massive display of strength, but some did. Mostly the new recruits, but there were one or two experienced members who did as well. But out of this sudden fear, the mercenaries steeled their hearts and got ready for a fighting retreat, knowing that their foe wouldn't let them run with their tails tucked between their legs and not shed some blood. And so began a hellish day for these men and women of the Shinsengumi Mercenary Corp.

*

'Sir, everything's set for the…fallback.'

'Its ok sergeant call it what it is, a retreat. No sense in trying to make it seem like we aren't cowards. We aren't, its just that they have the numbers and a more…how should I put this? Ah, yes. They are much better supplied than us.'

'Right, sir. Shall we begin before that mob out there decides to move in on us?'

'Yes, lets get this under way. I know I speak for everyone when I say lets get the fuck off of this godforsaken shit stain of a planet.'

The Sergeant laughed. 'Aye, that I would agree with very much.'

'Well then get it started.'

The Sergeant nodded and jogged off giving orders to mount up and get ready. The Captain Smirked and went to get his own gear ready.

*

Five minutes later, the column was under way and moving fast, trying to get as much distance between them and their former position. As they moved along the Captain began trying to get a signal on the radio and was pleasantly surprised when he got a signal almost immediately. He muttered an old saying of thanks and went about trying to reach the Corps ship in orbit. After multiple attempts he finally made contact and requested a pickup and news on what he and the rest of his troops had missed out on in the past several months since entering the valley. It was as he had expected. Their employer had indeed betrayed them and left them high and dry in the valley, having stopped, with the exception of the area they had protected, most of the insurrectionist movement down almost two months after the mercenaries had moved to the valley. Apparently their employer had wanted the rebels to wipe out the Shinsengumi so they wouldn't have to pay the fees. Well, the Captain thought, they're about to learn what it means to betray us instead of pay us our commission. The Captains reverie was shook by the sounds of gunfire behind him and as he looked back saw that his worst fear had come to pass. The rebels had indeed decided to not let their prey go and had come chasing after them with the intent of spilling much blood.

'Shit. Sergeant! Get the men moving faster! Shoot while they run! Just don't let them stop moving!', he pointed to a spot that looked like it was maybe five kilometers away, 'I'll try to get the ship to pick us up there! And after it picks us up, we have some unfinished business on this world if you catch my drift.' He smiled grimly at the prospect.

The Sergeant nodded grinning and turned back to the soldiers yelling at them to get their asses in gear or they would be left to rot on this hellhole. The prospect of being left behind got the mercenaries moving and firing blindly over their shoulder, some stopping for a split second to help a comrade who had stumbled here and there. Some of the mercenaries going down and not getting back up again. Knowing they had precious little time these bodies were left behind, no one willing to risk being left behind. As they got closer to the pickup point the Captain hailed the ship and told them to expect a blazing hot reception and come in guns blazing, otherwise things would not go to well. The pilot replied with an affirmative and overhead the roar of the ships engines could be overheard and the troops looked up for a second and saw their ride approaching and the sight filled them with joy and energy which they used to spur themselves on faster, most not even bothering to worry about firing over their shoulders as the guns from the Edo-class frigate Epic Dawn opened up on the pursuing enemy and wiped them from existence, most of them not even having a chance to scream as they were either blown into a spray of blood, incinerated, or turned into so much hamburger meat by the ships unfeeling gunners. And as the last mercenary set foot aboard the ship the hatch closed and the Dawn lifted off and headed for low orbit, the mercenaries on board making plans for retribution on their shit eating employers. And if a person who had a queasy stomach sat in and listened they would have been out by the first idea. It was going to be a good day after all, it seemed.

*

Aboard the Epic Dawn, In orbit around the planet currently being called 'Shit stain'.

There is a heated discussion going on among the mercenary officers on what to do about their cowardly employer.

'OK, so we have…what do we have on the table? Acid bath, toss out an airlock, set him on fire, skin him alive…ok so far these are somewhat weak. How about we give him over to Dr. Steiner so he can be a lab rat on his more…questionable research?'

There was a collective wince from all present. Almost immediately as the name was said the hatch to the room in which the discussion was being held opened up and what almost looked like the very definition of a mad scientist walked into the room. His lab coat was once white, until he became interested in the process of bringing back the dead to life. He claimed that the only time he would ever clean his coat from now on was when he successfully brought back a dead person. So far he hadn't succeeded and his coat had taken on a blackish looking color from the large and indescribable amount of blood that had been spilled on it from the cutting up of corpses and such.

"I believe my name was said gentleman?' the doctor said. He looked around the room questionably.

'Yea, we said your name doctor. Now go back to your research. We might even give you a new test subject soon.'

A grin from teeth that hadn't seen a dentist in years, 'Excellent Captain, I cant wait. And don't jip me like last time.'

'Of course not, I wouldn't dream of it.'

With a deep exhale and shake of his head, the doctor left the room. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief at his leaving. The Captain looked around after getting the list of possible ways to kill their former employer in order.

'Hey guys? What do you say we just use a nuke? I mean, its quicker, faster, plus it'll melt his skin off and then blow him to pieces. I'm just sayin the options on the table.'

'Sir, but what about the collateral damage from using a nuke?'

'Oh, right. The collateral damage.' A pause. 'Well, there goes that option.'

A light began flashing and beeping softly by the captains seat. He walked over and hit the button for the intercom.

'Yes?'

'Sir, we have just received word from our sources saying that the target has moved out to his mansion in the middle of fucking nowhere, sir.'

Blank looks of shock and what the fuck greeted the news.

'You have got to be shitting me. There's no way in hell we are this lucky. Ever. Well seeing as how the nuke option is now available we're gonna go with it. Also we're going with the nuke because we can't decide on anything else. Any objections? No? Good.' He walks over to the intercom and calls up the ships bridge.

'Pilot? Oh pilot?'

Silence answers him and he sighs heavily.

'Fine. Oh great and powerful one, how many tactical nukes do we have?' he asked rubbing his temples.

A feminine voice replied back cheerfully, 'We have only one tactical nuke left, peon. Sir.'

'Your shitting me? We only have one nuke? What the hell happened to all our other nukes?'

'We had other nukes? Peons, when did we have other nukes?! Sir.'

'Hmmm…guess I was wrong then. Anyways Fire on the coordinates where our targets house is located!'

'Aye, over and out.'

The captain killed the intercom and walked back to his seat and slumped into it.

'Fuck my life sometimes. '

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-----------------------------------------------------------------xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

No one at the mansion knew that a tactical nuclear device was headed their way until it hit and incinerated the compound to dust and ash in a brief and instant moment of intense heat and a wall of flames. There wasn't any time for anyone to scream before they were reduced to ash, some being reduced to nothing more than a slightly lighter shade of black on the wall, the only thing showing that they were there being an outline surround by black scorch marks.

Even before the blast itself had died down the Mercenaries had left the planets orbit and were on their way to finding a new employer, one who wouldn't betray them like so many others had before.


End file.
